1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates generally to the trailer towing art and more particularly to a novel auxiliary towing hitch assembly and hitch extension therefore for attaching a trailer to a towing vehicle mounting a removable body vehicle overhangs the rear of the vehicle in a manner precluding direct attachment of the trailer to a conventional towing hitch on the vehicle.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art:
One popular type of trailer towing vehicle is a pickup truck which may also carry a removable camper body. The pickup truck mounts a rear towing hitch for attachment to the front towing hitch of a trailer. The coupling means of these hitches comprise a coupling ball on the vehicle hitch and a coupling socket on the trailer hitch for receiving the ball to form a swivel connection between the vehicle and trailer.
A typical towing vehicle hitch for this purpose comprises a tubular hitch member rigidly secured to the underside of the vehicle frame adjacent to its rear end and leaving a rearwardly opening socket. This socket receives a tongue on a removable coupling element which is releasably secured in the socket by a cross pin or the like extending through aligned holes in the socket wall and tongue. On the rear end of this coupling element is an upstanding coupling ball for engagement in the coupling socket of the trailer hitch.
If a long camper body is mounted on a pickup truck equipped with such a towing hitch, the camper body may overhang the rear end of the truck bed a sufficient distance to preclude direct attachment of a trailer hitch to the truck hitch. In the past, this has meant that a trailer could not be towed when carrying a camper body.
The prior art is replete with a vast assortment of towing hitches. Examples of these hitches are found in the following patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,099,549; 2,320,046; 2,635,891; and 2,743,118. None of these listed patents or other patents of which I am aware, however, are directed toward or provide a solution for the problem stated.